Purchasing Boba Tea
Boba tea (also known as bubble tea) is a Taiwanese drink that has found a popular following in the U.S. If you are interested in finding boba tea'' around the eastern Orlando area, you have many options to choose from. We will consider Kung Fu Teahttps://www.kungfutea.com/ as a case study, though, like much of East Asian cuisine, American tastes have highly normalized these shop’s offerings. '''What is Boba?' Boba is a name for tapioca balls. The balls have a soft texture that are squishy and very chewy. They are usually served with iced and milk teas as the hot tea would make the tapioca begin to melt. You will be given an abnormally large straw, this is so the balls can fit. Navigating the Line Tea shops often feel like a café: there are small tables with people talking or working, conversation can be heard as a mumble, and the worker at the counter will welcome you. You do not need to respond to this welcome, they probably are not giving you explicit attention until you reach the register. A line (or queue) forms in front of the register. You wait in line until those ahead of you have moved forward. You can use this time to consider the menu (see below) Ordering from the Menu '''While waiting in line you can read the overheard menu. There are most always smaller physical menus on the counter you can pick up while waiting. These can also be taken with you if you are so inclined. As an example, Kung Fu Tea offers various drinks besides teas. But teas alone are diverse themselves: there are milk teas, iced teas, fruit teas, brewed teas, all hot or cold. '''Boba is served as an addition, so you must specify you want it added. There are more toppings such as red bean (a sweet paste), fruit, or jellies. There are several more ways to customize your drink: how much sugar (as a percentage), ice, and the size of the beverage. If you are just ordering tea, they will not ask you if are ordering take-out (take-away). You can now pay with cash or card. Tips jars are usually found next to the register. While there are electronic forms of tips if you pay with card, the employees may mention that only cash tips are divided among them (the digital tips going to the store). While Waiting After you pay, you can step to the side of the register while your order is made. At Kung Fu Tea, there is a section at the opposite end of the counter for your order to be delivered to. It is common to stand around where the tea is brought out when ready, or you can sit. The employee will bring it to the counter and read what the drink is, you can then get up and grab it from them. After Receiving Your Drink Though not ubiquitous, it is very common for boba tea to come with a plastic, sealed lid. You will need to stick your straw through this lid with some force. You can sit in the café to drink or leave now. The employee may say goodbye, again, you don’t need to respond. If you do stay, there are often board games to be found for anyone to pick up and spend time at the tables in the shop with.